1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to refuse bag supports; and, more particularly, to a lightweight, rugged, articulated, refuse bag support that: (i) permits of both indoor and outdoor use; (ii) is readily adjustable for use with a wide range of different types and sizes of refuse bags; (iii) can be used to maintain a refuse bag open for ease of loading in either the upright vertical state or in a horizontal state when one wishes to simply sweep, or rake, refuse into the open bag; (iv) can be firmly affixed in, or seated on, virtually any type of surface, whether a flat floor, driveway, lawn or the like, or on rough irregular surfaces such as stair steps, hills and the like; and (v), can be easily collapsed into a compact, generally flat, planar configuration occupying a minumum volume of space when not in use.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an articulated refuse support assembly including: (i) a ground/floor engaging base subassembly; (ii) a generally upright support stanchion subassembly; and (iii), an adjustable bag engaging support subassembly capable of supporting the periphery of the open end of virtually any sized conventional refuse bag in the open state. The ground/floor engaging base subassembly is adjustable in either a two dimensional or a three dimensional configuration so that it can be adapted to sit on flat surfaces or non-flat surfaces; the upright support stanchion subassembly is axially extendable to readily accommodate refuse bags of different lengths and includes provision for being projected into the ground in either a generally upright, vertical position or in a position wherein the main portion of the support stanchion subassembly is generally parallel to the ground and spaced above the ground by a distance of a foot or so; and, the bag engaging support subassembly includes mating, opposed, telescopically mounted C-shaped portions defining a rectilinear opening that can be easily expanded and/or contracted to conform in peripheral size to the size of the particular refuse bag's peripheral wall surrounding the end opening.